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TRANSCRIPT
BUYER’S GUIDE FOR
Managed Cloud Services
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
Cloud technology evolves
Cloud-first approach
Strong & flexible cloud architecture
Robust cybersecurity services
Reliable backup capabilities
Premier customer support
Streamlined implementation options
& migration services
Placing a value on cloud connectivity
Embracing the cloud computing future
Managed Cloud Services from
Eze Castle Integration
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Contents
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Enterprise cloud computing technology has achieved industry-
standard status. Today, 94% of organizations worldwide use
public or private cloud networks, or leverage Platform-as-a-
Service, Infrastructure-as-a-service or Software-as-a-Service
solutions. In fact, an estimated 85% of enterprise cloud users
maintain multi-cloud environments, meaning they have multiple
disparate cloud solutions in place. The widespread growth of the
cloud-first approach and the general trajectory of cloud computing
technology – i.e., more options and more sophistication – could
cause complications for businesses that are already stretching
their information technology teams thin.
Managed Cloud Solutions are key to overcoming this developing
problem, as they enable organizations of all sizes to cultivate and
utilize a robust cloud infrastructure, all without overburdening
internal IT personnel. But what should organizations look for
when sourcing such services? This buyer’s guide will help you
understand what to look for in a managed cloud services provider.
94%
85%
Cloud technology evolves
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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Cloud-first approach
First thing’s first. When evaluating managed cloud providers,
it’s critical to evaluate your cloud methodology and
recognize the role cloud technology will play within your
overall IT strategy. Consider the three inflection points when
organizations are generally in the market for a managed
cloud provider:
• Office move or a relocation. Is your organization moving
offices? Relocation is a natural time to take a look at your
existing technology infrastructure.
• Emerging organization. Emerging organizations must
be forward-thinking while taking budgetary or resource
considerations into account, and being cognizant of the
future technology requirements of the business before
choosing a cloud model.
• Technology refresh. Is your technology stack and IT
strategy due for a refresh? This is a good time to evaluate
technologies, tools and relationships to ensure you’re
using the most up-to-date technology.
You’ll need to a look at your IT priorities to decipher which
cloud model is the best fit for your firm: public, private,
hybrid or multi-cloud. A knowledgeable managed cloud
provider will act as a consultant and partner when your
organization is defining your overall cloud strategy. Look
for a provider that has a cloud-agnostic approach, meaning
they’re able to support you and your IT initiatives regardless
of which model is the best fit for your firm. Utilizing an
experienced cloud services provider enables you to take
full advantage of the cloud.
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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Strong & flexible cloud architecture
The underlying architecture governing how the cloud is designed
and configured has an out-sized influence on data workflows and
subsequent management and security requirements.
While public cloud giants - Microsoft, Google and Amazon - have a
strong hold on the industry1, they aren’t the only cloud providers to
keep in mind.
As the cloud has matured, many smaller, industry-specific service
providers have emerged to offer customized and boutique managed
cloud solutions that position businesses to get more value for the
cloud. These providers often offer both public and private cloud
platforms that are customized to address industry needs, such as
regulations. Look for a provider that can:
• Offer robust network and data center solutions to ensure
availability and resiliency.
• Integrate and streamline operations across multi-cloud
environments.
• Give you options and open lines of communications for
overseeing the configuration.
While you can’t control the architecture behind your cloud, you
can work with a provider that provides visibility and creates trust in
managing your cloud ecosystem.
1Channel Partners, 2019.Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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What to ask your cloud provider
• How will you determine the correct cloud strategy for
my firm?
• Do you have direct connectivity to public and private
cloud platforms?
• Where is my data stored and how do you handle
backup and recovery?
• What are my responsibilities in managing the configuration?
• If my firm wants some control, is there a self-service portal?
• What is the response time of your service organization?
STRONG & FLEXIBLE CLOUD ARCHITECTURE
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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Robust cybersecurity services
There were more than 31,000 cyberattacks in 2018, with
approximately 2,000 of those incidents leading to data loss.
Don’t let your business be next because your cloud provider
has fallen behind on security or you’ve assumed that public
cloud security controls are automatically activated. Instead,
ensure your cloud provider:
Complies with regulatory standards that apply to your business (HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, etc.) or major industry-wide
regulations for data center reliability (SOC, Uptime Institute, ANSI/TIA).
Takes a security-first approach to operations that prioritizes data protection when managing the cloud configuration.
Provides physical and logical access control to protect against hackers, bots and similar threats.
Uses modern security tools to protect the configuration:
2Verizon Wireless, 2019.
Multi-factor
authentication.
Access
auditing.
protection.
URL
scanning.
Web
filtering.
System environment
monitoring.
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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• Have you experienced a security breach?
• What security framework does your firm follow?
• Do you undergo a SOC Audit and regular
Vulnerability Assessments?
• What does the incident response plan look like?
• If I suspect my organization is compromised, who
do I contact and what is the response time?
• What do we need to do in order to protect the
cloud on our end?
• What is being done to protect against ransomware,
dark web threats and other common attack types?
What to ask your cloud provider ROBUST CYBERSECURITY SERVICES
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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Reliable backup capabilities
IT pros understand the importance of proper backup and recovery
strategies. However, the resources they use to manage data effectively
aren’t always given the same level of thought. As such, approximately
84% of IT pros believe the backup solutions at their current business
are not capable of safeguarding data in the event of downtime.3
Cloud computing can be a powerful tool in simplifying backup and
recovery, but only if your cloud provider has adequate protections
in place.
Not all managed cloud providers offer equally robust backup
and recovery options. Be sure to carefully analyze your service
level agreements to protect data and ensure you work with cloud
providers that maintain off-site backup options that are available in
real-time. Additionally, consider keeping your backups outside of
your primary cloud provider - for example, if Microsoft Cloud is your
primary, maintaining additional backups in a non-Microsoft Cloud
helps remove single points of failure.
3Dell, 2018.Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
0808
• Do you practice recovering in emergency situations?
If so, what is your average recovery time?
• Do you maintain copies of our data in multiple clouds
to reduce risk of downtime?
• How do you safeguard backups from ransomware
and other cyber threats?
• How frequently do you back systems up?
• Do you offer the ability to run a secondary
configuration in duplicate with automated failover
in place?
What to ask your cloud provider RELIABLE BACKUP CAPABILITIES
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
Premier customer support
Managed cloud providers facilitate a variety of functions
for their customers. They will often handle a wide range
of critical systems, provide security, support and similar
services to empower businesses to take full advantage of
the cloud.
With so much on the shoulders of your cloud provider, you
don't want to be in a situation where you have to jump
through hoops to get support. When something isn't working,
your team needs easy, efficient access to support from the
managed cloud provider. Ask for a sample of their service
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level agreement (SLA) to see exactly what the provider
guarantees in terms of service and support. Also, be sure to
speak with their clients – large and small.
This 24/7/365 level of service is especially necessary in the
multi-cloud world, where your IT department often serves
as the go-between for support requests involving cloud
providers. Don't make life difficult for your IT team. Instead,
identify managed services providers that prioritize customer
support and make it easy for your teams to get help.
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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• What are the best methods (i.e. phone, email, client
portal, etc) to getting a response from support teams?
• Will we have a dedicated account and
technology team?
• Do you offer varied levels of support available at
different pricing tiers?
• Are you a Microsoft Premier Support Partner?
Note: This level of partner receives priority response from Microsoft, better SLAs and a dedicated account manager.
What to ask your cloud provider PREMIER CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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Streamlined implementation options & migration services
In the cloud-first world, businesses are often spinning up new cloud
setups to meet their shifting needs. Cumbersome contract, setup and
testing processes can leave you frustrated and hold your business
back, undermining the flexibility the cloud is meant to deliver.
Getting implementation right is key as the cloud becomes the de facto
option for businesses: Between 2019 and 2022, the market for cloud
services will grow at almost three-times the rate of the overarching
cloud services market.4
Make sure you ask questions about the rollout process during sales
calls and see if you can get client referrals so you can learn more
about what it's like to deploy a new solution with the managed cloud
providers you're considering. You should also look for self-service
tools and automation options to make it easier for you to make minor
changes to the configuration.
Better yet – a top-shelf provider will streamline the implementation and
perform migration services on your behalf, freeing time for your IT team
to devote to other projects. This enables you to rely on your partner’s
expertise and can often expedite the implementation.
4Gartner.Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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• What pain points do clients typically face
during migration?
• How will the migration impact existing users?
• Are applications/tools (i.e. multi-factor authentication,
spam filtering, etc) changing?
• How will you monitor, manage and patch applications
in the new environment?
• What is your experience in migrating firms to new
cloud infrastructures?
• How long will the migration take from plan to go-live?
What to ask your cloud provider
STREAMLINED IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS
& MIGRATION SERVICES
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
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Placing a value on cloud connectivity
Whether a cloud is public or private, there are a variety of
forces and interconnections at work behind every action
an application or user makes. That’s why understanding the
connectivity of a cloud service should be included in the
evaluation and purchasing process.
A key concept is direct peering. Peering refers to the
point of connection between two separate autonomous
systems – for example, the connection between a managed
cloud provider and a general cloud provider (e.g., Microsoft,
Bloomberg, etc.). Through direct peering, a managed
cloud provider gains operational control over traffic flow.
This translates into faster, smoother, more predictable
communication and increased security between the systems.
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
• Do you have direct connectivity with public
clouds (i.e. Microsoft, Google, Amazon) and
other third parties including market data and
trading vendors?
• How do you monitor the traffic and security
of our cloud connections?
• Do you have a multiplex option to allow
different service types (i.e. Internet, cloud
connections, etc.) to run over a single high
capacity circuit?
What to ask your cloud provider
PLACING A VALUE ON CLOUD CONNECTIVITY
14Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
Embracing the cloud computing future
With this new cloud-first approach to IT, cloud technology
has escalated. Businesses aren't just dealing with a few
apps and services in third-party configurations. Instead, the
cloud increasingly handles mission-critical services and is
so prevalent that most companies have multiple clouds they
need to keep track of.
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In today's cloud climate, organizations need solutions to
help them manage and secure their systems. Managed
cloud services provide an edge, giving businesses access
to development, support and configuration management
resources that they wouldn't get by simply moving to the cloud.
Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services
Managed Cloud Services from
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At Eze Castle, we offer managed public and private cloud
services designed for the demands of today's cloud-first
strategy. We specialize at working within the Microsoft Cloud
ecosystem and bring award-winning capabilities to the table
in helping clients get more out of their cloud ecosystem.
We provide the kind of modern back end systems that
alleviate the IT burden facing contemporary business,
turning complex cloud setups into manageable, secure
configurations that you can gain value from. We serve more
than 660 customers, giving us nuanced experience of the
specific needs businesses are facing as they dive into the
cloud.
At Eze Castle Integration, we work closely with our clients
to better understand their requirements and build the kinds
of solutions necessary to get the job done. With 24/7/365
support, we provide our clients with premier service and
unparalleled expertise.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you on
your cloud journey.
https://www.eci.com/
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Eze Castle Integration - Buyer’s Guide for Managed Cloud Services